Cyprus Supreme Court: Egyptian hijacker can be extradited

NICOSIA, Cyprus – Cyprus' Supreme Court has rejected an Egyptian hijacker's appeal against his extradition, ruling that there are no legal reasons for the man not to return to his homeland to face justice.

In a unanimous decision Thursday, the court upheld a lower court ruling which turned down Seif Eddin Mustafa's defense that he may be tortured by Egyptian authorities if he's returned or that he can't be extradited because his political asylum claim is still pending.

The 60-year-old Mustafa hijacked a domestic EgyptAir flight in March 2016 using a fake suicide belt and diverted it to Cyprus.

Mustafa said he did it to protest against Egypt's military-backed government. Prosecutors said Mustafa admitted to authorities that he only did so to reunite with his Cypriot family after 24 years.